Radioactive
by Kaasuten
Summary: Accepting the role of Author was supposed to be the hardest decision of Sarah's life. But soon she learns that the Underground has more secrets than she could have ever imagined. Lies, betrayal, the theft of magic, and her entire world at risk. Will her magic be enough to save the ones she loves or will both the Aboveground and the Underground cease to exist?
1. Chapter 1

**_WARNING: THIS IS A SEQUEL!_** Please read "I'm Only Human" first to better understand what is transpiring in this story.

 _ **Radioactive**_

 _ **Chapter One:**_

A long time ago, a battle raged.

The All-World existed, free of restrictions and separation, where those born of magic and those born of humanity could coexist. The races relied upon each other, neither thriving without the success of the other, and for hundreds of millennia it worked. The humans toiled on the earth and prepared it for the future. The Faye and their magical followers protected the people, using their magic to grow crops and further the success of the beautiful planet they shared. Children played with goblins and pixies while the Faye of the royal family were treated like Gods, stories of their immortality passed down among the humans from generation to generation.

Hundreds of thousands of years before the dinosaurs roamed the earth, the great Goblin King Ariel the Tempest ruled over all races with kindness, mercy and love. For humans cannot exist without magic, and magic cannot exist without humans. The All-World thrived but for one fault; humanity. The humans were weak willed and weak minded. They were filled with emotions not recognized by the magical folk like greed and envy and rage. They lusted over the power of magic and sought time and time to claim it for themselves. Each attempt to steal magic left them weak and in smaller numbers, yet they attacked. Again and again they ravaged the magical kingdoms, bringing some creatures to the brink of extinction and removing the existence of others all together.

For nothing in this world is more dangerous than greed.

It was Ariel the Tempest that created the spell that caused the Schism. He summoned all of his strength and magical ability to split the All-World in two, creating the Aboveground for the humans and the Underground for those granted the affinity of magic. As his greatest act as King, Ariel the tempest created memory magic, a magic that would seep all knowledge of magic and the creatures of the Underground from the minds of every human. No stories, no memories, no nightmares. It was as if magic had never existed.

But remember, humans cannot exist without magic and magic cannot exist without humans. And thus our story begins.

* * *

His chest rose and fell rapidly, his heart pounding in his chest as he flew down familiar halls and through familiar chambers. He knew his father would be in the main throne room and he would not stop until he reached him. He could not stop, not yet.

"Come back!" A young goblin yelled, out of breath as she chased him down hall after hall. Her little legs were no match for his wings. The small Faye boy was barely three feet tall, his cheeks puffed from his adolescence, his soft white hair falling in tendrils around his face. His clothing was dark and hung tightly to his body, tailored and fit for his frame. He was highborn, a Prince of the Underground, and he was the last hope for magic.

His dark wings rescinded, disappearing as he burst through the final door and into the elaborate throne room. He had been here only a few times in his three hundred years, always chased away by one of the Faye Guard or caught by his mother before he could enter the main doors. But no one stood in his way, not this time, not now. Magic had been fading for months, draining from the immortals as if it had never existed. Many had died; more had fallen ill or lost their magic all together.

Yet he held the key to save them all.

"Papa!" He cried, out of breath as he sprawled across the floor. His hands shot out to brace himself, crying out in pain as he fell before the throne on hands and knees. This was not the way he had expected this to go, this was not the way he had imagined his grand entrance. He was nowhere near the hero he imagined himself in his dreams.

His father rose from the throne, crossing to where his child lay sprawled and lifting him back to his feet. "You shouldn't be here."

"But Papa!" The small boy cried, grasping onto his father's robes as if his life depended on it. "I know what to do! I know how to save _everyone._ "

"Everyone?" His father asked, his interest piqued. "And who exactly does everyone entail?"

"Everyone!" The small Faye cried out, louder than was necessary. "The humans, the goblins, the trolls, the pixies, the Faye. Everyone!"

"And how do you expect to do that, little warrior?" His father asked, giving him the dignity of placing him back upon his feet again.

The small boy straightened, puffing out his chest in pride. "Come."

He did not wait for his father to agree nor give him the option to refuse him, the young boys wings were out once more and he was speeding through the doors of the throne room. Corridor after corridor they traveled, determination etched upon the child's face as his father followed. Everything hung in the balance, every life in both worlds rested in his hands. If the magic was too strong, if his ideas didn't work, there were so many things that could go wrong. There was so much lying in the hands of one little Faye boy only three hundred and twenty-two years of age.

The Goblin Prince.

"Stay." He finally commanded, turning to his father and signaling for the older Faye to wait in the doorway. They had reached the highest point in the Royal Castle, an open air balcony that had been meant as a place of reflection for the Queen, but the Queen never visited this place. Only her son played among its stones and hidden treasures.

"What are you-"

But the small boy held up his hand, silencing his father. For a long moment there was only silence as the magic in the air began to rise. At first it was a sizzle, a feeling, like chills, or a shift in the barometric pressure. But slowly, the boy began to glow. It was faint at first but brighter and brighter it grew, his face contorting in pain as he concentrated on the magic he was issuing.

"Stop!" His father yelled, reaching out only to be struck back by his sons own immense power.

"Stay back!" The boy yelled, wrapping his arms around his chest as he focused on the spell at hand.

"If you exhaust your magical energy, you will die!" His father yelled, fear written on every inch of his face. "You must stop!"

"And if I don't everyone dies!" The small boy yelled in return, his pain replaced by anger. His words were strained, still marked by the pain he felt. Like a thousand little needles trying to fight their way out from his core, but the small boy held on. "I take this risk for the Pixies and the Goblins and the Hollows. I do this for the Guardians and the Faye and the Trolls. I do this for the Banshee and for magic. But I do this for the humans, too!"

" _Please,"_ his father begged, terror evident in the great King's voice. "Stop this madness."

"Mama says," he boy struggled. "Magic cannot exist without the humans, and humans without the magic."

"She is right."

Slowly he lifted his hand out for his father, the magic that had once stopped the great King from entering released. The great King fell forward in desperation, grabbing onto his young son's hand and sharing the burden of his child's spell. "Then let us be a portal father. Let us bridge our worlds."

The light grew, intensifying until it engulfed them both before everything went black.

It would be three days before the boy woke, laying in his elaborately decorated bed with his mother and father both cradling him from either side. His eyes lolled, lazily taking in his surroundings as a groan of discomfort fell from his lips.

"I am victorious?" He asked, his voice cracking slightly as he spoke.

His mother wailed, pulling him tighter into his chest as she hummed a silent prayer to the Gods, grateful her child had survived.

His father let out a booming laugh, almost loud enough to mask the tears that were cascading down his own face. "Aye, son. You were victorious."

"The gate has been created?" The boy asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and gently shoving pudgy hands against his mothers face as she sought to plant kisses on every inch of his features.

"Two gates." His father chortled. "A book and a mirror."

"I meant to create only one." He frowned. "Do they work?"

"Splendidly. Now you need only assign someone to their care." His father spoke, his features turning serious. "You must choose wisely, my child."

"I?" The boy repeated, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Isn't the assignment of tasks the job of the King, great father?"

"Aye. You must choose wisely."

"But I am just a Prince. Nothing more, just a prince." The boy spoke, struggling to free himself from his mother's arms and rising to a sitting position before his father.

"You _were_ but a Prince. Have your studies taught you nothing? When does a Prince become a King?" His father asked, coaxing his son to his own conclusions.

"By death or transcendence." The boy spoke, his eyes widening in understanding. "Two portals."

"Two portals." His father confirmed, nodding slightly.

"All hail the King!" His mother chimed, her voice like a choir of angels as she pressed more kisses to the face of her child.

"All hail Jareth." Oriel beamed with pride. "All hail the King."

* * *

The Author ripped her eyes away from the mirror, breathing in a shallow breath. Every time she watched _his_ stories in the mirror she was always left feeling ashamed. So much of her previous life had been spent believing he was a monster, but the Goblin King had done so much for humanity, so much for the people of the Underground… and even so much for her.

The years had rolled by slowly. With every passing moment it was as if the girl who had once existed became a myth, just another story on one of the many pages of her heavy book. Simpler things, like the name of her father and the day she was born, had faded within the first hundred years. She forgot the names of her friends and the finer details of the dreadful woman who had wished her away. She forgot the human things she had learned in school and the name of the dog she had watched grow old from afar. Human lives were such fleeting things compared to the lives of Faye and the Author had no need for such trivial memories. She knew that it was essential she hold onto the person she had once been, but forgetting in the Underground was just too easy.

Standing in front of a mirror, the Author admired her reflection. She was tall and pale, her honey almond colored eyes reflected the sunlight that streamed in through the open window and bounded off her desk and her belongings. Her dark hair fell in long tresses around her delicate face and seemed to highlight the beauty of her flowing silver gown. She was every bit the beauty that her fairytales depicted her as. One foot in humanity and one foot out, the girl and the Faye, the Author and the Princess.

"My name is Sarah." She breathed, her voice as soft as the morning bells that chimed from the top of the castle in the heart of the Labyrinth. "I was born in the human world in 1970. I am two hundred and seventy six years old. I am Faye. I am the Author. I am intended to the Goblin King."

"And you are late."

Smirking slightly, Sarah turned from her intense gaze into the mirror and greeted one of her oldest friends. "Whatever would I do without you to keep me in check?" She grinned, sweeping her fingers through her bangs and taking a deep breath. "Is he very angry?"

The Faye general crossed his arms over his chest and appraised her with a knowing glance. His tone of voice screamed annoyance but his smirk told her otherwise. "When is our liege not angry?"

"When I do as I'm told. When the trolls are far enough beyond the border." She began rattling off the many things she knew made their King happy. "When a Wished Away chooses his or her magic. When the pixies sing."

He held up a hand to silence her. "I get it, I get it. My mistake." He held out his hand to her, which she gladly accepted. "Maybe one day you could make _me_ happy, Sarah."

"And how would I do that?" She asked, tucking her arm around his to get a better grip on his arm.

"By using your own magic to teleport to your engagements _one time._ " Slowly his magic seeped through her, pulling them from her hide away in the tower and into the sprawling gardens before the castle. It stood tall and brilliant in the late afternoon light, seeming to glow and shimmer. She had memorized every corridor and every room during her life in the Underground, but it never lost its wonder.

"Where is the fun in that?" She teased, leaning her head against his shoulder affectionately. "I have to keep you busy somehow." Slowly they began their walk through the gardens, heading to the throne room she knew housed her King. "Farnig… May I ask you something?"

The Faye general inclined his head, one eyebrow raising in curiosity, "Anything."

"Do you remember, during my trials, when you left me with the Queen Mother to learn about the position as the Author?" He nodded so she continued. "She told me that Oriel created my mirror and the Book of Ages… but that's not true, is it?"

Farnig shook his head. "I only know the stories. This was hundreds of years before my time, you understand. But I do believe it was a young Prince Jareth who created the spell that brought about the position of the Author. It is what made him King."

Sarah nodded, biting down on her bottom lip. "I saw those moments in the mirror today." She explained, bracing for his attack.

"You know better than to look into the past of our King. He has made that much quite clear." Farnig explained, releasing her arm and sending her a stern look. "The history of the royal family is completely off limits to the Author."

"But I'm not just the Author." She sighed in exasperation. "If he expects me to be his wife he cannot demand his past remain locked to me."

"Sarah." Farnig sighed, rubbing his hand over his eyes before appraising her. "There are things about magic you still do not understand, things about the Schism and the great war. There may be reasons certain periods of time are locked away to the Author. I implore you to speak to the King before you dig any further into his secrets."

"So he does have secrets!" She sighed, her voice a bit louder than she had meant for it to be.

"Everyone has secrets, Sarah." His voice was stern now, all sense of playfulness drained from it. "If you want to know more about your intended, _ask him_."

"Maybe I will." She stood taller as the doors to the throne room swung open, revealing the Goblin King lazily lying over his throne.

"You're late." He smirked, rising to his feet as his betrothed entered the room.

"A queen is never late." She teased, leaving Farnig's side to cross the throne room to the King.

"You're not a queen yet." He rebutted, reaching out to take her hand in his.

"Then yes," She smirked. "I'm late."

He was about to open his mouth to speak when the castle walls rumbled…

And the screaming began.

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_ I just couldn't stay away! I got the idea for this story the other night while listening to some music and it all just seemed to fall into place. I know those of you who followed along with I'm Only Human were expecting a cushy love story between Jareth and Sarah. But if you've ever read any of my other stories, you know I'm more into tragedy and loss than I am into love and romance. So while you will see a lot more of Sarah and Jareth and I will put in some flash backy scenes to show you how their relationship grew from where we saw it in the final chapter to where it is now.

Hope you enjoyed and I hope you're ready for a feels ride.

Read and review please. I'll only keep this going if you guys actually want to read it :)

All my love; Kaasuten


	2. Chapter 2 This is War

_**Chapter Two;**_ This is War

The screaming pierced through the musty darkness of the throne room like a scythe, cutting to the very heart of the Goblin King. Dust scattered from the cracks between the poorly bonded stone as the castle walls shook, sprinkling the heads of his panicked subjects as they sprinted in erratic patterns. Some sought safety and cover as they dove beneath furniture or out into the hallways. Others, the braver few, catapulted towards the windows to get a better view of whatever had caused the monstrous tremor. The panic that had ransacked the castle wedged itself into Jareth's heart, watching as it filtered through every Faye, Goblin and magical creature like a plague. There had not been an attack on the Underground in thousands of years, not since Jareth had made his rise to power. Peace had made his people complacent and the fear was not something they were ready or capable to handle.

Suddenly he was one hundred and twenty years old again, standing in a tower window and watching the carnage that took place below him. The castle walls were ablaze with flames, magical reds and greens crawling up the stone as the Faye Militia battled the Troll Army. From where he stood, eyes wide and fingers gripping the stone until his knuckles were white, he could see every Faye and Troll. He could see the blood splattered earth and the places where the walls around his castle had begun to fall. He could see Faye guards he had known his whole life with enraged grimaces etched upon their normally peaceful faces and swords poised to strike. He could see the Trolls. It was the first time in his short life that he had seen a living Troll outside of the history books his mother made him read and the very sight of them struck fear into his heart.

The Trolls were an angry race, filled with a rage that no other magical creature could mimic. They lived far outside of the heart of the Underground and rarely interacted with any other creature. But when magic had first begun to dwindle, the Trolls had emerged from their caves and trekked towards the castle. Determination filled them like a wildfire; they would take the castle from the Faye and live where the magic was the strongest.

And so the war began.

He watched with wide eyes, his lips pursed into a thin white line. Never in his life had he witnessed a slaughter like the one he watched now. A particularly mean looking Troll lifted a club above his head and with a deafening roar brought it down upon the helmet of a guard Jareth didn't know. Blood poured from beneath the crushed helmet, and from the way the Faye guard crumpled to a heap at the Troll's feet, Jareth knew he was dead. His stomach rolled and with a cry of anguish, the Goblin Prince leaned over and emptied his stomach onto the stone floor.

His hands shook, his stomach lurched and again and again he vomited upon the ground. It seemed like hours had passed in a few short moments before he felt warm hands upon him and the tug of transportation magic. When he was finally able to open his eyes and the sick feeling that had settled over him had passed, he was greeted by the warm and comforting eyes of his mother. Gently she soothed back his hair and placed a loving kiss upon his brow. The small prince shivered and shook as he crawled into his mother's lap, desperate for her protection from the battle that raged beneath them.

As soon as her protective embrace had circled him, the Goblin Prince began to bawl.

"Hush, my love." His mother whispered, brushing her fingers through his hair in a desperate attempt to soothe him. "All is well. Hush."

But the small boy continued to bawl, clinging to the soft and silky fabric of his mother's. He had never felt fear this raw before and every time he closed his little eyes he could see the dark red liquid pouring from beneath the guard's helm. "There's so much blood." He wailed with his face buried against his mother's chest.

"There is." She confirmed with a voice still soft and comforting. "War is never pleasant or kind. Many will die and many will suffer. But war is an essential part of life, sweet child. It prepares us to better appreciate the times that are good and just. This war will be over soon, that I can promise you. Your Great Father will put an end to the Troll skirmish and peace will settle upon our lands again. Never forget the necessity of fear or how peace can be taken for granted, little prince."

He was still shivering, standing in the center of his throne room, when the memory began to fade. He blinked away his past as he took in his surroundings, the pattering feet of the goblins and the terror in the faces of his court. It was Sarah's look of courage and strength that sent a spike straight through his chest. She held all the determination and bravery that he felt he lacked in that moment and it tugged his heart in every direction. Once, towards the window to see what could have made the monstrous tremor that shook his castle and the loud moaning growl that seemed to rise from the chaos outside. Secondly, was toward his intended to whisk her away to safety. Back and forth his eyes flickered, window to woman, window to woman.

But she was moving before he could. The silky fabric of her dress danced around pale legs as she started to move towards the door to the throne room, no doubt off to face whatever terror was assaulting them. Yet, Jareth was faster. He sprinted at her at full speed, wrapping an arm around her waist before she could protest, the pull of his magic ripping them from the throne room and into the familiar castle of the Author.

"Jareth!" She chastised, her features contorting into an anger he very rarely saw. "I can help."

"You will stay." He demanded, releasing her from his grasp and feverishly capturing her by the arms and kissing her rosy lips.

"I will not!" She rebutted, like a petulant child once their kiss had broken apart.

"Stay!" He yelled, stepping back and once again flooding himself with teleportation magic. The throne room was in more chaos since his disappearance, goblins running in circles and screaming.

"SILENCE!" He roared, his booming voice penetrating all other sound in the throne room. The goblin's stopped their running and screaming; his guards straightened and gripped the hilts of their swords. If there was one thing that could be said about the Goblin King, it was that his presence practically sparked with authority and comfort. "We need to keep calm." He spoke, puffing out his chest and trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. "You will stay here," he spoke, his eyes flashing over the goblins before turning to his guard. "We will find the source of this disruption."

"And Sarah?" Farnig whispered, stepping up to the side of his King. "Is she safe?"

Jareth gave his oldest friend and most trusted General a sidelong glance. "For now."

"Is it the Trolls, my lord?" Farnig asked, unable to mask the fear in his own voice.

"I pray not."

XXX Sarah XXX

She paced.

Back and forth she moved across the floor of her tower, biting nervously at the nails upon her left hand. Jareth was stubborn and insistent that she remain behind and, where normally she would have argued or put up a fight, she could not get the look of terror in his eyes out of her mind.

"My darling girl."

Spinning on her heels, Sarah all but collapsed into the comforting arms of the Queen Mother. "You're here." She breathed, burying her head against the elder Faye's shoulder.

"As if I would refuse such a desperate request," the Queen Mother gestured towards a soft set of cushions positioned in the corner of Sarah's tower. Gently the two women lowered themselves onto the cushions and Sarah let out a shiver. "Tell me."

"I don't have a clue what's happening." Sarah admitted as her shoulder's slumped in defeat. "Farnig was taking me to a meeting with the King and the walls shook and it sounded like something exploded. The next thing I knew, Jareth had deposited me here."

"And you did not use your own magic to follow him back? That seems rather unlike you, little dove." But something about the confusion etched across Sarah's face made the Queen Mother think twice about the laugh that had almost bubbled from her throat.

"He was so insistent… and he looked so scared." She bit down upon her bottom lip, closing her eyes as she remembered the feverish way he had kissed her. It had felt less like the kisses of adoration or even lust that she had been used to. This kiss, this feverish and rushed declaration of his love, had felt more like a goodbye.

"Did you see what caused the explosion?" The Queen Mother asked, the same fear beginning to spread through her eyes, matching that of her sons.

"No. Before I could leave the Throne Room Jareth had brought me here."

"Did you hear anything? Anything at all?" The Queen Mother asked, scooting closer to where her soon to be daughter in law sat.

For a long moment, Sarah sat silent. She closed her eyes and thought back to the moment of the monstrous shaking that had captivated the castle. She could see the fear of the Goblin's and how Jareth had seemed to zone out for a moment. She could see Farnig, protectively positioning himself between Jareth and the closest door to the throne room. She could see the chaos as it began to unfurl around them and just before she had made the conscious decision to go and face the threat herself, she remembered a monstrous sound. "I think I heard a roar."

"They're back…" The Queen Mother breathed, her voice almost inaudible as the terror over took her. "Dear god… their back."

 _ **XXX Jareth XXX**_

It had been hundreds of years since Jareth or any other member of the Faye Militia had used their wings. They were impractical and flashy and they made one lazy. But Jareth thought nothing of releasing the binding magic that had kept his wings hidden. They unfurled around him, fluttering for just a moment before they lifted him off the ground. Up he soared, higher and higher into the sky until he could see the entire Labyrinth before him. His eyes scanned the familiar terrain, looking for the cause of the disturbance as Farnig followed suit and was shortly hovering beside him.

"I see nothing," Farnig whispered, his eyes straining to view the surrounding terrain.

Jareth's eyes took in every inch of his kingdom, his heart still in his chest… until he found it. Not too far from the western most wall, three hundred yards out at most, stood four very ugly very angry looking creatures. "There." He spoke, his voice holding steady as he lifted a hand and pointed out to the creatures. "Trolls."

"Are they restarting the war?" Farnig asked, unsheathing his sword and moving so his body hovered between the newcomers and the King.

"I think they just tried to ring the bell." He spoke, but his voice held no conviction as he allowed his wings to carry him down to the western wall. Gently he touched down, his wings continuing to flutter in case he needed a quick escape. "State your name and your business." He demanded, his arms crossing over his chest.

The largest of the Trolls stepped forward, its large belly pushed out in front of it as it moved. They stood in silence, both staring each other down for the longest of moments. With each passing second Farnig became more and more uncomfortable, shifting his sword from hand to hand in preparation to strike. Finally, the large Troll huffed and opened his mouth to speak.

"We have come for help."

"Help?" Jareth asked, cocking his head to the side. Peaceful negotiations weighed lighter on his stomach than the threat of war. "Help with what?"

"War." The Troll spoke, his tone gruff.

"You do recognize the irony of your request." Jareth spoke, his voice hard. "I may have been young, but I remember the slaughter your kind inflicted upon mine. Why would you ever hope to imagine we would assist with your wars?"

"Because our wars will soon be yours. We stand as the last line of defense before our enemies' raid your Underground." The Troll snapped.

"And who are your enemies?" Jareth asked, the hair on the back of his neck beginning to rise as a new fear settled upon him. The war between the Trolls and the Faye had only ended because the Trolls had given up once Jareth had restored the balance to magic. No one had won. Whatever enemy the Trolls feared now was no doubt formidable.

"They have found us." The Troll explained simply.

"Whom?" The fear was almost palpable in the Goblin King.

"The Humans."

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_ So in my attempts to make these chapters longer than the chapters in I'm Only Human, I find I'm having more inspiration to write. Specifically, I love writing the flashbacks to younger Jareth. I hope you're enjoying them as well. I do realize there is no mention of the Faye's having wings anywhere in Labyrinth, this was my own personal adaptation to the Faye and I hope you enjoy it. It will be very important in a few chapters from now.

Did anyone guess that the Humans were attacking? I really wanted you all to think it was the Trolls :3 Leave me a review and let me know what you think so far!

As always, all my love.

Kaas


	3. Chapter 3

**_One day, when the fate of the world again rests upon your shoulders, you will understand the importance of this moment and remembering who you are._**

As Jareth paced the cold floor of the throne room, his eyes downcast upon the cold stone, he heard the voice of his father repeating in his mind. **_Remember who you are._**

"Jareth?"

Her voice startled him, his every nerve ending alert and on edge as he spun to face the beautiful woman who had pledged herself to him. Never in the hundreds of years that he had spent by her side had Jareth so appreciated the warmth and caring in Sarah's eyes as he did in that moment. She kept her distance, watching him with patience and understanding as he came to terms with all that had happened in the last three hours… but he could see how desperately she yearned to wrap herself around him.

Nodding once, Jareth released her from the obligations of propriety, allowing her to fling herself across the room and into his arms. Her scent wafted over him like a wave, her small frame crashing into him with a force that would have knocked him to his knees if not for Farnig watching dutifully from the corner. Her arms wrapped around his waist as they held each other, lost in a long moment of silence.

"All is well." He whispered, pressing his nose to the crown of her head and breathing in the smell of dust and old books and pine wood. He could tell that she had distracted herself in the tower of the Author, writing away her stress and anxiety and fear. Negotiations with the Trolls had taken hours and throughout that time, Sarah had dutifully remained where he had left her until she had been summoned back to his side.

"Then why are you shaking?" She asked, tightening her grip around her betrothed. The hours that had passed had been long and for a while she had panicked in the thought that some terrible creature had killed the Goblin King. Even the queen mother had been terrified of the implications of the return of the Trolls. The horrifying stories she had told Sarah as they huddled amid the cushions in the tower had made Sarah's blood run cold. Jareth had been just a child; she could understand why that terror had spread through him like wildfire.

"I am not." He puffed out his chest, trying to act strong and brave before the woman who had captivated his heart. He would not allow his own fear to cripple her.

She kept her face pressed against his strong chest, breathing in the scent she had come to associate simply as Jareth. It was warm and calming and reminded her of wet grass after a torrential downpour. It filled her with a sense of courage she would never have guessed she possessed. Once she had gathered enough strength from his strong embrace and comforting scent, she took a half step back. When he tried to remove his arms from around her, she only tightened her grip, her doe eyes pleading with him to be as open and honest with her as she had always been with him. "Tell me."

He closed his eyes, taking a couple of deep breaths as he tried to compose himself. "The Trolls have come to seek our assistance in a war they believe is starting. It seems the Humans are digging, for what we can only assume, but they are digging none the less."

"I thought it was impossible for the Humans to penetrate the Underground?" Within her first year in the Underground she had learned that, while technically their realm existed beneath the non-magical world of the Humans, the Underground technically existed in its own plane. It was separate from the Aboveground and only penetrable by magic. She had been made to understand it was impossible for a human to merely wander into their safe haven.

"Impossible is relative." Jareth breathed, brushing his fingers through his messy hair. "Can they walk into the Underground or dig in as the Trolls fear? No. Can they sense our presence? Absolutely."

"How?"

"It's much more complicated than you would think, but the big fear that the Trolls have now is that, while in very limited means, Humans do possess magic. If our presence was discovered, it would not be long before someone of strong faith and limited magic found a way to lift the veil that protects us."

"A human could do that?" Sarah asked, her heart racing nervously in her chest.

He stared into her eyes for a long moment before he dared to respond. "You did."

"What?" Confusion flooded her soft features, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Of course I didn't. What are you talking about?"

"How else did you think it was possible for your friends to visit you in your world? None of them possess any magic at all." Jareth explained as if it had been obvious from the very beginning.

"But I didn't do anything!" She still could not wrap her head around the idea of possessing magic before she transitioned.

"You gave Howart the bracelet. It was already imbued with your power."

"Hoggle."

Jareth smiled lithely. He knew the names of her friends by this point, but he still needed them to fear him and he loved the fierce loyalty that embedded itself in the heart of his beloved. "Don't fret, my love. As long as the magic of the Underground remains strong, we can continue to thrive without fear."

"How does magic become weak?" She asked, thinking back to all the times she had carelessly used her magic for personal gain. She could only imagine the damage she had done.

"Inconsistencies. Ruptures. There are many ways magic can be weakened. That is why we lock away periods of time or places that have been compromised." He explained, rubbing his thumb along her lip to free it from her teeth as she nervously nibbled away upon it.

"What do you mean, compromised?" She could hear Farnig chastising her earlier that morning as they made their way to the Throne Room. _There are things about magic you still do not understand. There may be reasons certain period of time are locked away from the Author._

"Magic is not infallible. Think of each spell as a tightly woven thread. Think of each word as a different string tied together tightly. If one string breaks, it isn't long before they all fall apart. Revisiting certain magics make them weak. It's why we lock away pockets of time or areas that were infected with Dark Magic." She felt the shiver run through him at the very thought of Dark Magic. It was taboo to speak about, but throughout the history of magic, there had been those who had turned to Dark Magic, those who had splintered reality. They were never talked about, never revisited, and stripped from history entirely. The very thought was terrifying.

But never had she been explained as to why she could not visit these periods of time. Not until now.

"Long before I rose to power there was a great schism. The races of the Underground were in chaos and turmoil and magic was slowly being stripped away from every corner of the Allworld. My mother told you the story, did she not? How my father created the position of the Author in order to keep magic from extinguishing all together?"

"About that…" Sarah again nibbled nervously at her bottom lip, her gaze falling to the place where Jareth's shirt rested against his strong collarbone. "Was it really your father who created the position of Author?"

She did not raise her gaze, but she could feel his burning into her, the way his grip seemed to tighten upon her small frame. Above her, his eyes narrowed dangerously, his heart all but stopping in his chest. "What did you do?"

"Nothing…" she whispered nervously. "I just… I may have looked into the moment the Author was created."

His breathing stopped altogether and when she finally felt brave enough to lift her gaze, she was greeted not by her fiancée or the man who had stolen her heart, but by the fearsome Goblin King who had terrified her for months after she had managed to rescue Toby. His features were contorted into a terrifying scowl, his eyes dark and shrouded by his hair.

"Ease yourself, my liege." Farnig called from the far corner, stepping up to Sarah's side. Forcefully he pushed the Author back, forcing his body between that of his King and the woman. "She did not understand the implications of her actions."

She was spiraling downwards, the terrifying implication that she had done something to ruin their safety weighed heavily upon her shoulders. Jareth was afraid. Whatever the Trolls had warned him about was enough to have him shaking in her arms. His one solace had been the safety and unity of the magic of the Underground. This was his magic, magic that had come from his sheer will and determination to protect his people. In his mind, the safe haven he had created really was impenetrable. Each Author had been chosen carefully, appointed based on their abilities and their determination to protect the magic and wonder in the world. It never crossed his mind that Sarah's obstinate nature would be an issue. He never considered that Sarah's curiosity would get the best of her and that she would create yet another Schism.

"I'm sorry." Sarah breathed, feeling the fear begin to fill her soul as she remained hidden behind Farnig's protective stance. "What does this mean? What did I do?"

"We must act, Jareth. We must seal the Schism. We must prevent another war." There was no doubt in the Faye General's mind that if the world collapsed again as it had in the past, the Trolls would turn upon them. They would descend like a plague and all hope would be lost. The Faye, brave and strong and seeped in a deep magic, stood no chance against the brute strength of the malicious and war mongering species.

But the King heard nothing; Jareth was lost. Lost in the fear and the rage and the moment where choices must be made. The moment where, if a King were to choose the wrong path, every person beneath his rule would suffer and die. Sarah was the Author. She was the focal point of all magic, of all creation, of the existence of both the Underground and the Aboveground. If her magic was weakened, it could mean the fall of every creature and every human to have ever breathed or walked upon the unforgiving Earth. He should have known better. He should have learned from the last time his heart was so betrayed by someone he held so much reverence for.

He should have learned from _him._

He was a child again. Snarling in rage as he stared upon the dark mound engulfed in that damaging purple light, the same purple light that stripped him of his sight and suffocated him. He could feel the betrayal and the heartbreak. He could hear his mother sobbing. He could see the darkness begin to snuff out the purple light, begin to shroud the mound in its obliterating darkness. Soon it would be gone, this place eradicated from existence to protect the wellbeing of every one of his subjects. How unfair it was that he should suffer such a loss so that his people could thrive. He had given them everything, _everything,_ and still they wanted more.

The mound moved, straining against the darkness and the purple light, coughing against the suffocating aroma. The eyes were vibrant, filled with tears as they stared back at him, a large hand reaching out to touch him but falling short as his mother pulled him farther away. The voice was raspy and choked. "Remember who you are…."

He could see fires and war, death and carnage, but mostly he could see the blood pouring from the helm of the fallen Faye soldier all those millennia ago.

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_ How I've missed you guys! Things have been crazy and are only going to get crazier between now and Christmas. I'll try my hardest to keep up with these chapters.

Sarah is in trouble!

This chapter was more a little filler to start explaining what is going to go on. The next chapter is BIG. I've almost got it finished and its almost twice as long as any of the first three chapters.

Hang onto your butts! -first "game" of the story. Im adding an original character. First person to tell me where that quote is from gets a human named after them! :) Leave your guess and your name in your review

As always, all my love.

Kaas


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four;**_

Sentry duty was not for the faint of heart.

If there was one thing that Farnig had learned from years of serving as Jareth's right hand man, it was that some of the tasks that were placed before him were just plain boring. Today would be no exception. Jareth had insisted that he remain as close to Sarah as possible, to watch over her and keep her safe as his liege tried to find a way to repair the damage that had already been done. There was no telling what repercussions would come from Sarah's actions.

He had never seen the girl fall so low before, though. When they had finally been dismissed by the Goblin King and had returned to her chambers, the small girl had all but collapsed into an array of cushions and had not moved for hours. Every so often she would heave a deep sigh and seem to disappear further into the cushions. The poor girl held herself completely responsible for their current situation.

"Come now, Sarah." He smiled sadly. "Chin up."

"I ruined everything." She mumbled, her face pressed against the cushions. "I can't believe I was so stupid."

"It's not completely your fault, you know. Jareth was very vague about why he did not want you looking into his past. Everything happens for a reason and our King should have known his bride to be was far too strong willed to simply take _don't do it_ for an answer." Farnig explained, crossing the room to where a small tea station rested. He busied himself with preparing tea for the small girl, hoping to bring some life back into her.

She let out a sound that, to the Faye guard, sounded like a cross between a banshees roar and a snarl, lifting herself up to a more appropriate sitting position. "He's going to hate me forever, isn't he? He'll never forgive me for this."

Farnig all but laughed, shooting her an apologetic look. "He loves you, Sarah. There is no force on this earth that could ever make Jareth hate you. He may be disappointed, but he knows you did not do any of this intentionally. He's a very different man than he was before you came into the Underground. He's done a lot of changing, a lot of growing, and I have to say that most of that is due to your presence. He wanted to become a better man for you and so he did. He's far less angry than he was before."

"I can only imagine." She huffed, brushing her fingers through her silken hair. "Tell me something about him, will you? Something I don't already know."

"You know much already, little one." Farnig chuckled, finishing up the tea and presenting it before her. Our King does not keep many secrets from you and the ones he does choose to keep are for your safety as well as the safety of the entire Kingdom."

"Well then not something I don't know. Tell me a story instead; something that happened between the two of you before I existed. Tell me something to get my mind off of all of this," she gestured around the room as if it was falling apart around her. For all he knew, she really did see her world collapsing around her. Everything she had thought she had once known about the Underground really was collapsing. Her grasp on the ideal of magic had changed in a way Farnig simply couldn't understand.

He had been blessed as a member of the guard, or maybe he had been cursed. The moment he accepted his role, Jareth had confided every secret of the Underground in him. He told him of the magic that existed, the Troll wars, the way humanity had stripped the magical beings of their power. Every dark and horrible part of their history had been laid bare before the Faye Guard… and he had never been more horrified or determined to make sure that history did not repeat itself.

"What is it about Author's that insist on everyone telling stories?" Farnig teased, lowering himself down into a cross-legged position before the small girl.

"Indulge me." She smirked, pulling a soft blanket from its resting place on the pillows and draping it around her petite frame.

"What type of story would you like to hear? I have many to tell. Happy times, sad times, silly times. The choice is yours." He explained, running over hundreds of years of friendship with the Goblin King in a single moment.

"Start with something happy."

Farnig smiled lithely. "A long time ago, a human girl wished away her baby brother…"

Xxx The Day Sarah Arrived xxX

"My liege," Farnig greeted respectfully, bowing low before his King for simply the sake of appearances. The two had been close friends, if not advisors to each other, for many years. Farnig simply held up the respectful decorum for the sake of the other members of the Goblin King's court. It would not bode well for their King if everyone began greeting him informally. "You summoned me?"

"Yes." Jareth sighed in agitation. His body draped over the stone throne, a small baby dressed in red and white balanced easily upon his lap. "I need your assistance."

"How may I assist?"

With a wave of his hand, Jareth cleared the throne room of his court. Both goblins and Faye scrambled left and right in a desperate attempt to avoid their leader's wrath. It took barely a moment for the two to find they were alone with just the small child upon Jareth's lap. "Ugly little creature, isn't he?" Jareth teased his friend, bouncing the small boy upon his knee.

"Horrifying. And the runner?" Farnig asked, smirking down at the adorable child.

"A human girl, quite young in fact. She's the child's elder sister." Jareth explained, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"A sibling wished away the child?" Farnig asked, his brow furrowing in confusion. It was rare that someone other than the parent wished away a child and the Goblin King complied.

"I was intrigued." Jareth explained, again nonchalantly. "The parents are horribly neglectful. The child would have been wished away eventually anyway."

"Not that I lack appreciation for my summoning… but why was I summoned Jareth?" Farnig asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he appraised his King. As desperately as the man before him tried to act like he did not have a care in the world, it was evident that something was off. Farnig knew the Goblin King better than anyone else in the world. He could tell when the King was behaving differently.

"I need you to watch over the child. I have business to attend to." Jareth said, rising up and placing the small baby into Farnig's supportive arms.

"You're giving me a wished away?" Farnig asked, his face contorting into a mask of confusion and horror. "You've never given a wished away to anyone before."

"I need to attend to some pertinent business." Jareth said briskly.

"Jareth." Farnig warned, his voice stern. "What is this about?"

Jareth was silent for a long while, his eyes blankly staring ahead at the stone wall. Whatever was changing in his King, Farnig had yet to decide if it was for the better or not. "The runner."

"The human girl? You know you cannot interfere in the runner's trail. If you deter her in any way…"

"I don't plan to deter her," Jareth snapped, his eyes blazing as he turned back to his college. "She intrigues me. Nothing more, nothing less."

"What is it about this particular girl that has you abandoning your duties? You have never acted so recklessly before." Farnig pointed out. It was true, Jareth was stoic and unmovable. He never abandoned a wished away during their trial. The only time they were out of his sight was when Farnig took those of acceptable age to assess their options. This child was far too young to be passed off on the Faye Guard.

"I have no need to validate my motives with you, Farnig." Jareth snapped, arms crossed over his chest. Where most would have seen a regal King chastising one of his subjects, Farnig only saw a petulant child. He was stubborn and thick headed and he was trying to push the wrong buttons in the captain of his guard.

"You do when they involve a runner and the finer points of our regime." Farnig explained flatly, moving Toby so he rested effortlessly upon his hip. "You've done all you should when it comes to this runner. Tell me why I should let you shirk your responsibilities to go bother her again."

"I'm intrigued." Jareth repeated, once again shrugging his shoulders. "I would like to see her fail."

"For the sake of the child or for your own personal gain?" Farnig wasn't really sure where that particular question had bubbled from but he had never before seen his King become so bothered by a runner. In fact, he had never seen his King become intrigued by any woman ever. If his liege saw something in the female runner, who was Farnig to stand in the way.

"I haven't quite decided yet."

Giving a knowing smile, Farnig motioned for his King to leave.

Xxx A few Hours Later xxX

Farnig had never seen Jareth fume quite like the Goblin King was at that very moment. To be honest, Farnig wasn't sure what he had been expect, but it definitely had not been for his King to return in such a state.

"A piece of cake!" Jareth all but roared, pacing back and forth across the stone floor of the throne room. "She called my Labyrinth a piece of cake!" Angrily he turned on Farnig, jabbing a finger into the younger Faye's face. "Do _you_ think my Labyrinth is a piece of cake?"

Farnig snickered. He hadn't meant for the noise to cross his lips, but once it had he knew it was too late to take it back.

"And what, may I ask, do you find so funny?" Jareth asked, his eyes flaming with his rage.

Farnig snickered again. "You've let a mere child get under your skin, my lord."

"She is far from a child. She is infuriating and prideful and entitled." Jareth ranted, still pacing back and forth as he did. Even Farnig, far from versed in the ways of life and love, could tell that Jareth had fallen victim to a woman's charm. Whatever it was about this runner, she had captivated his King completely.

"She is quite beguiling." Farnig smirked, edging his way into the inner workings of the King's mind. If anyone knew how to make Jareth admit what was really going on in his head, it was Farnig.

"Quite."

"And irritating. How dare she belittle the hard work you put into creating the Labyrinth." Farnig continued.

"My Labyrinth is not a piece of cake. It is a force to be reckoned with. Few runners have ever succeeded and fewer have escaped unscathed." Jareth's fury was slowly being replaced with pride for his creation, his chest puffing out against his own compliments.

"She is quite annoying. Allying with the dwarf to try and thwart your attempts to save the child." He pushed farther, determined to confuse his King into admitting what he truly felt for the runner.

"Quite. Hogwart will be of little use to her, though. I took time away and sent the cleaners after her." He smirked smugly, his pacing starting to slow slightly, his face falling. "I'm sure she found a way to escape."

"I hope so. It would be a shame to see her mowed down so crudely. She is quite beautiful." Farnig smirked, his smile spreading across his entire face as he patiently waited for his King to walk into his trap.

"Quite."

Like a moth to the flame.

"No. Not quite!" He quickly tried to recover. "She is a vile creature and the sooner she is removed from the Underground the better. She does not belong in our world."

Farnig merely smiled knowingly. "Whatever you say, my King."

Xxx Hours After Sarah's Departure xxX

When Farnig entered the throne room, the King was alone. No child, no runner, just the Goblin King sprawled out across his throne. It was evident immediately that something was off about him, but he seemed almost sad.

"I assume she finished the Labyrinth?"

"She did." Jareth acknowledged, not bothering to look at the Faye General. "Both she and the child have returned to the Aboveground."

"She rejected you then?" Farnig frowned, eyeing his King speculatively.

"Yes." Jareth's lips twisted into a light smile, seeming to be looking at something that wasn't there. "But I won't give up hope."

Xxx Present Day xxX

"He knew even then?" Sarah asked, skepticism lingering in her voice. It had taken her a long time to realize how she felt about the Goblin King, but he had simply known. The first moment he laid his eyes upon her he had known that there was something special about her, no matter how infuriated he became by her antics. His words suddenly filtering back into the recesses of her mind.

 _You asked that the child be taken; I took him. You cowered before me; I was frightening. I have reordered time. I have turned the whole world upside down, and I have done it all for you._

 _I ask for so little. Just fear me. Love me. Do as I say and I shall be your slave._

The more she really thought upon it, his actions had seemed less cruel and more persuasive. Jareth had seen something in her that she had been unable to see herself and so he had sought to thwart her at every turn. It was not that he wanted to see her fail, he had merely wanted to keep her in the Underground with him forever. Jareth had seen into her heart in ways that no one else had from the very moment they had met.

"Never fear, little one. Your King will still love you after all of this is over. I would expect him to be moody and brood for a little while, but once everything has been righted and the world is safe again, you will be at peace." Farnig promised.

"Do you think this will be easy to fix?" She asked, nibbling at her bottom lip lightly.

"I think it will be trying. I think we are facing dangerous times ahead. But fear not, our King will be victorious." There was no doubt in his voice, though a slight undertone of concern. Farnig had complete faith in the Goblin King.

"Dangerous times…" She repeated, picking at the hem of her dress. "He'll keep everyone safe, wont he?"

"He will try."

Xxx The Aboveground xxX

She kicked at the dirt at her feet as she walked, creating little craters in the ground as she moved. Freedom was a rare commodity these days, between school and work and family obligations she barely ever found the time to merely wander. Days like today were a blessing in disguise.

While the sun hid behind the cover of clouds and a light misting of rain dabbled against her face, she knew that there were much worse fates to face. For today there was no homework, no essays due, no annoying customers to placate and no parents in town for a whole weekend. To say she was in heaven was probably the biggest understatement of her life.

And it helped that the mountain pass was completely empty today.

There was not much to do in the more rural areas of Montana. Especially not if you were under the age of twenty-one. There were national parks and hiking and adventuring to be done, but not much more. A girl of only twenty could find herself crumbling under the pressure of constant boredom, but at least she liked to hike and climb. The exertion made her feel strong and free and the dark made her feel safe in an oddly comforting way. She enjoyed the silence and the sounds of nature, but mostly she enjoyed the make-believe.

When she wandered the caverns and the woods she could pretend that she was part of something greater. She could pretend she was a magical being with whimsy and freedom. She could pretend that she was more than just a girl from Montana going nowhere fast. She could act as if she wasn't stuck in a one stoplight town with parents who refused to acknowledge her potential. She could pretend that she was a queen or a princess or a fairy. The world was her canvas and with every step she took she painted it in vibrant colors.

Deeper she crawled into the caverns, admiring the rock formations and the beautiful bodies of water that lingered in the darkness. A flashlight as her only companion, she navigated through the dark passages with a familiar ease. "A long time ago in a world much like our own," she began, narrating her own imagined story. "There lived a beautiful girl. She was fair and kind and just but she was very lonely. Every night she would crawl from the window of her castle and escape into the wilderness, visiting with all the creatures who loved her very much. But her heart sought something else, something deeper. She yearned for a love she could call her own. But in a world of magic, there were duties to perform and creatures to protect. Fairies of the elements could not fall in love without risking the seasons and changing the earth from season to season was one of the most important magical jobs."

A frog leapt from its perch on a rock and into one of the crystal bodies of water as she approached, the sound of the splash echoing into the night around her.

"That was until she met the Goblin King." A smile filtered across her features, her fingers trailing along the wall of the cavern. "She was stubborn at first, relentless, refusing to bow to the whims of the Goblin King. Far away in his castle he could dream away the days and pretend that a life with the fairy was possible. He could imagine a world where their love could be real and tangible and every time they met he would beg her to leave the Fairies and join him in his castle."

Farther and farther she wandered, losing track of time and the direction in which she traveled. "Every time she would refuse him, insisting that her role with the fairies was far too important to abandon. Every time they met her heart would break further until finally she snuck into his castle late at night. The fairy gazed upon her one true love with heartbreak in her eyes. Without rousing him from his slumber, she placed a gentle kiss upon his brow and prayed."

Gently she placed her hand against the hard wall of the cave, closing her eyes and whispering the prayer of a lovestruck fairy. _"Goblin King, Goblin King, with heart as full as mine. Pull down the walls of fate and war so I can now be thine."_

Whatever she had been expecting, it was not the tumbling of walls and rock. It was not the shaking of the earth as if the ground itself was threatening to open. It was not the terrifyingly loud sound of paper shredding, of something ripping its way to an opening. Tumbling downward, she landed upon her knees, her hands still pressed firmly against the wall. She could feel the flesh shredding as she scraped across the ground and she could practically taste the metallic blood in the air as it began to seep into the torn fabric of her jeans. She wasn't sure when she had begun screaming, but she could feel her throat going raw against the onslaught of sound. Every moment of her life seemed to flash before her eyes.

How selfish had she been? She had taken everything about her world for granted and it was only now, as she was about to be buried beneath hundreds of years of dirt and rock, that she really appreciated every opportunity she had been given in life. She was studious, attending one of the best colleges in Montana. She had a good paying job at one of the local retail stores that allowed her to pay her bills and get through school without incurring debt. She had parents who loved her, albeit a bit absent from her life more times than not. Could she really blame them for being such hard workers and having to travel so often?

And now they would never know what had become of her. She had left no note; she hadn't advised anyone of where she was going. It would be a marvel if anyone ever guessed that she had wandered into this cave and even more a marvel if they managed to dig through the dust and rock to find her mangled body. She would be a mystery that never was solved, just another face on the back of a milk carton. Just another girl who grew tired of the lie she lived and ran away for fame and fortune.

The very thought made her sick.

As her screaming died, so did the sounds of rumbling and ripping. The hard rock beneath her hand softening as she tumbled through it altogether. Her body rolled and catapulted down a steep slope until she came to a stop atop a grassy hill. Confusion catapulted through her as she sought to right herself, her head spinning as she clambered to her feet.

No longer was she standing in a dark and damp cave lit only by the light of her flashlight. Now she stood atop a hill covered in rocks and baring only one tree. As she shuddered against the wind, she took in her surroundings, marveling at the sight before her. The land sprawled forward, seeming endless and wonderful, covered in sprawling walls and winding walkways. This place had been built from a fairy tale, no doubt housing a minotaur or some mythical creature. But what amazed her most was not the walls of the Labyrinth or the stark environment she was surrounded by… it was the castle at its heart.

Beautiful and sprawling and reaching towards the sky it was everything she had ever imagined, everything her fairy tales had ever predicted it would be.

"Shari-Lynn," she whispered. "I don't think you're in Kansas anymore."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ And so it begins. We're getting closer to the nitty gritty. For those of you who have read my stories before, you should be well versed in how I handle my characters. There will be quite a few unhappy and a few happy endings. I haven't really decided on who is getting what, except for one of our characters. I don't like making promises but there is one I am going to make today. I'm going to keep you on your toes with this one. A special thanks to everyone who made a guess at my little game last chapter. It was Jurassic Park and PaleJewel1 was the first with the correct answer. I hope you enjoy her character and the progression she is going to make. Shari-Lynn is going to be a MAJOR turning point for the Underground and a huge part of the progression for this story.

Let me know what you think.

I would like your opinion on the chapters though. Do you prefer longer, beefier chapters like this one ((which will take me longer to post)) or do you want shorter more frequented chapters. It's all up to you!

As always, leave me love and I send you all of mine;

Kaas


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five;**_

He watched her with narrowed eyes. Every muscle in his body stood at high alert, every fiber of his being screamed for him to turn and run back to the castle at the center of the Labyrinth. Everything about this girl's sudden appearance screamed calamity and dripped with a foreboding he couldn't ignore. But he stood as still as stone, hidden in the shadows as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. His heart hummed aggressively in his chest, but no matter how long he gazed upon her, the Faye guard could find no logic in the presence of the small human girl.

It was obvious just by looking at her that she was not a runner; this he knew simply by the fact that she was alone and unguarded by Magic. In all his years in the Underground he had never seen a human, at least not one that had not been summoned by the Goblin King. Something strange seemed to permeate the space around her, something dark and mysterious that almost seemed to electrify air. Hidden behind the smile that spread across her soft features was something that made her look dangerous. Nothing bad had happened in the Underground in a long time, but within a matter of days the Trolls had all but knocked down the south wall and now a human wandered the outskirts of the Labyrinth.

As he watched her stumble her way down the hillside, he glared daggers in her direction. Every moment that passed he hoped his ire would cause her to simply disappear from the world, or to feel his loathing and turn and run. Shari-Lynn, she had called herself. He held back a chuckle at how ridiculous her name sounded in the wind. Of course, it was no worse than Jareth or Farnig or even Ludo but reason did not come easily to the Fae Guard. Especially not when something posed a very real, very tangible threat to his King and soon to be Queen.

She continued to stumble her way towards the outer gate of the Labyrinth, her eyes lifted towards the wonders in the center instead of at the broken earth at her feet. _Silly girl._ How often that word repeated in his mind as he watched her. She seemed awkwardly clumsy as she stumbled around, mumbling to herself in soft whispers.

For what seemed like ages she stood planted before the large gate. Her eyes were wide with wonderment as she appraised its aged wood and metal baring. Jareth's magic had done wonderful things for the Underground, none as important as forming the Labyrinth itself. All of its changing walls and secret caverns presented obstacles to test the worthiness of a runner. It would not be an easy task for some silly human girl. "What's this?" She asked herself, her smile seeming to grow as she lifted lithe hands and placed them gently upon the rough wood of the gate.

A smile of his own crossed thin lips, his eyes glittering with excitement as he watched her failure. _Try as you may, the door will not open for you._ One thing he knew for sure, the gates to the Labyrinth could only be opened by an inhabitant of the Underground. For Sarah it had been Hoggle, for her step-mother it had been one of the fairies.

Much to his dismay, the Gates gave a creek.

Slowly they began to drift open, groaning as they went but none the less moving back to grant her access into the twist passages.

"Just… a bit… more." She breathed through her exertion, pushing harder and harder upon the doors as they came to rest, open just enough for the slender girl to slide between them.

"I'll be god damned." The Faye guard breathed, slinking towards the giant walls still remaining hidden in the darkness. Sooner rather than later he would make his presence known to the stranger, but for now reconnaissance seemed like the better course of action to take. The element of surprise could very well save his and hundreds of other lives when the right moment came.

Stealthily he arched his back and leapt into the air, body bounding over rock and stone until he landed with a silent exhale upon the upper wall of the Labyrinth. There was something to be said about the agility of the Faye guard and how, even without using their wings, they could accomplish feats that seemed impossibly. Slowly he stalked; step by step he balanced upon the edge of the great wall following behind the small woman. Her eyes flickered all around her, taking in the mosey walls and the damp foliage covered in sparkling pixie dust. Never did she look up, however, never finding the Faye boy following closely behind her.

It didn't take her long to find the whole in the wall, even without the guidance of the Worm or his wife. She stepped through into the inner circles of the Labyrinth with ease, muttering to herself about beauty and wonder as the Faye guard leapt from circle to circle to follow her.

Very few creatures wandered the inner circles of the Labyrinth, all enjoying some much needed rest between runners. Without Jareth having summoned them to their work inside the Labyrinth, they were more than likely in their homes with their families. Not that he could blame them; it was only the guard who truly worked when the Underground was free of runners. Everyone else enjoyed the freedom and peace and quiet they came to associate with the Faye protection.

Nothing bad ever happened in the Underground.

And maybe that was why Jareth had been so insistent they keep the Troll warning to themselves. Not long after the trolls had left and after Sarah had been scolded for her misbehavior, Jareth had held a meeting of sorts where he promised the people of the Underground that there was nothing to worry about, that they were safe. He assured them that the Guard would be on high alert and that any suspicious activity would be dealt with in a swift manor.

And that was why he followed the girl now.

Normally his actions would have been swift as Jareth had promised the people. Normally he would have immediately incapacitated the girl and brought her to the castle of the Author where a tribune elected by the Faye would decide her fate. He would have made sure that she was removed from their home and sent back to the human world without the memories of this place. But the small traces of her Magic that permeated the air left him reeling and, if he was being honest, a little frightened. Humans did not possess Magic, at least not anymore, and the humans who did were formidable at best. The only human he had ever known to possess Magic in its slightest form had been Sarah, and she had gone on to not only defeat the Goblin King and his Labyrinth but to become the future Queen and the Author. They had been lucky that she had used her powers for good instead of turning against the Underground as humans had in their long distant past.

He had grown so distracted in his own thoughts, lost in the possible repercussions of his actions, that he never saw her eyes swing. He missed the swivel of her body or the turning of her gaze.

"Who are you?"

He all but jumped out of his skin, hands flying to the butt of the sword that hung on his hip. Silently he stood, staring down the human girl. His bright amber eyes never blinked, never moved, he just stared her down in silence.

"I'm Shari-Lynn." She repeated again, taking a step closer to the wall he stood upon.

He did not move. He did not speak.

"You must be a fairy?" She asked, smirking slightly, taking note to his pointed ears.

He huffed, his eyes narrowing but still he said nothing.

"Not a fairy, then. Could you tell me where I am at least?"

Still nothing, he did however leap down from the walls edge to land before her with his sword drawn. He had been taken unawares by the girl once, it would not happen again.

"I'm not going to hurt you," she continued to smile, raising her hands in front of her in mock surrender. "I'm lost."

"You're human." He huffed.

"Ah, he speaks." She grinned, clasping her hands behind her back as she lifted to her full height. "Astute observation, by the way. I am most definitely human." She narrowed her gaze, taking in every one of his beautiful features. "I've told you mine, now tell me yours."

"I am Faye." He spoke, his chest puffing out with pride as the name of his race left his lips. While all creatures of the Underground had great respect and pride in their own races, none had more than the Faye. They were, by far, the oldest of the races, the most agile and the most revered. It was no wonder that most of the elder Wished Aways would eventually become Faye themselves. Even Sarah, the future queen, had chosen Faye had she not become the Author.

"Not human then." She smirked.

"Astute observation." He huffed, sarcastically.

Her smirk became a wide smile. "But you look so much like a boy," She observed.

"A man." He corrected.

"But besides your ears you definitely look human." She continued, unperturbed by his correction.

"We are modeled the same." He acknowledged.

"And you were following me why?" She asked, taking a seat upon a log that rested nearby. Gently she patted the spot beside her for him to join her.

He did not move. He remained quiet for a long moment before finally sheathing his sword and standing upright again. "You should not be here."

"Here meaning this Labyrinth or here meaning this Magical place?"

"Both." He huffed, his eyes narrowing. "Humans should not be able to pass between the realms of the Aboveground and Underground. It should be impossible for those without Magic."

"Yet here I am." She shrugged. "So you've been following me to keep me out of trouble?"

Again he said nothing.

Shari-Lynn leaned forward, her brow raising as she finally drew the same conclusion that the Faye boy had come to a long time ago. "No. You're protecting others from me."

He merely nodded.

"I promise I'm not a danger to anyone." She assured, all but leaping to her feet. "I didn't even mean to come here. There was a cave in and I fell through some rocks and landed on that hill."

"The crest of the runner." He explained.

She nodded, trusting in his assessment. "I honestly just want to get home."

He was silent for a long moment, his eyes flickering between the setting sun and the small girl. Part of him believed her, that she had accidentally stumbled upon some portal in the Aboveground, that she meant no harm and that all she needed was to return to her own world. But the Troll's warning still rang within the confines of his mind, the fear in Jareth's eyes had haunted his memories. "I cannot send you home."

Her shoulders seemed to sag, her very demeanor changing. The smile washed off her face before the words had even finished leaving his mouth. "Then… what do I do?"

"I'll take you to the tribune."

"The who?" She asked.

"He is the wisest of all the Faye; appointed by our King to pass judgment in this world. He will know why you are here and what to do with you." He spoke, a shiver running through his body as the binding Magic that kept his wings hidden slowly stripped away revealing deep violet wings that fluttered behind him like a humming bird.

"Wings…" She breathed, her eyes wide in wonder as she took in the sight of the beautiful Magical boy before her. There was no doubt in her mind now that he definitely was not human.

"It's best we fly," he shrugged as if it were nothing. Faye did not often unleash their wings, and especially not in front of Strangers, but getting this girl to the Castle of the Author was of highest priority and he knew the quickest route to Sarah's domain was over the Labyrinth entirely.

"We? I don't mean to burst your bubble but humans don't have wings." She scoffed, rising slowly to her feet.

"Then you shall use mine." He smiled warmly in her direction, holding out a hand for her to take.

"You can carry me with those? They look so thin." She spoke, peaking around him at the almost transparent appearance to his wings.

He flushed, a dark crimson rushing across his cheekbones. "That is rude."

"Oh!" She flushed as well. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean… I just…"

"I can carry you." He interrupted. "Take my hand."

"I don't even know your name…" She whispered, lifting her lithe hand and placing it in his.

Gently he tugged her forward, wrapping an arm around the small girl as his wings began to lift them into the air and high above the sprawling Labyrinth.

She clung tightly to him, her arms wrapped around his waist in a desperate fear that letting go would send her plummeting to her death. A part of her, the more reasonable part, knew that he had a firm grasp upon her and that he wouldn't let her die needlessly. Another part however, the less reasonable part, could see her body catapulting through the air as she screamed away her last breath. Fear soon gave way to wonderment as she watched the scenery constantly change beneath them. First Labyrinth, then fields. Everything seemed to melt away from one to another as they traveled farther from the castle at the center of the Labyrinth and closer to the castle looming far in the distance.

Once all traces of fear had vanished, she glanced up at the boy again. His jaw line was striking, the raw beauty of his ageless features leaving her almost speechless as they drew closer and closer to the castle. She finally breathed as they touched down upon the marble balcony on the highest floor of the new castle. Gazing around she was filled with a mixture of excitement and terror, her heart pounding away like a lost child.

The castle had looked rustic from a distance, tall and weathered and on a much larger scale than the castle in the center of the Labyrinth, but now that she stood upon one of the ornate balconies, it was obvious that this castle held every ounce of royal grandeur. Marble spiraled out of sight, eclipsed by silver and gold trimming. Just from the long hall that stretched into the castle before her she could tell that much detail and attention had gone into every beautiful square foot. Pictures of beautiful, and some rather ugly, creatures hung upon the walls next to tapestries and large ornate mahogany doors. This place was not built for the likes of her. Even the Faye boy next to her seemed strangely out of place, regardless of his angled features and ageless beauty.

He gestured for her to step forward into the hall, but Shari-Lynn refused to move.

Confusion swept across his features as he assessed her refusal. "You must meet with the tribune. Your safety is not at risk." He promised, misconstruing her refusal for fear.

Her head shook, long locks swaying around soft features as she brought wide, doe eyes to meet his confused gaze. "Your name…" She finally whispered.

A small smirk crossed his lips, the confusion on his face instantly replaced with pride and a playful edge. "Toby. My name is Toby."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ TOBY! *happy spin* I was really glad that Nothing-Everything-Something left a reply asking about Toby. I wasn't actually going to have him give his name here, I was going to wait a few more chapters but you seemed distressed, my love. So there you go! We will get some back story later that will tell you more about how Toby became part of the guard but Toby is very much still around :)

I also want to touch on Jediavenger's reply about Sarah being referred to as little one and girl. While I do agree that young woman would be more appropriate in our standards, you have to keep in mind that compared to Farnig's age, Sarah is a toddler. I like to think that Farnig's terms of endearment (which I very much think they are) also stem a bit from the Queen Mother, who does call Sarah Little Dove. I will make an effort to make her seem more grown up as we go through the chapters, but I think for the plot turns I have planned it is very important to remind you all of just how young Sarah is. It will be very important in chapters to come.

I did also get my first flame! Wooo! I do love constructive criticism and I love hearing about the things you do enjoy and do not enjoy. I will not, however, apologize for Shari-Lynn. She is a very important turning point for this story though she has a very small part to play physically. If you are not interested in reading about anything other than Jareth and Sarah I suggest you stop reading this fanfic now. I do apologize if that seems mean or harsh, I definitely don't mean for it to. But I can promise if that's all you're here for you are going to hate me and be sorely disappointed as we move forward. But once more, to clarify, Shari-Lynn is not a long standing part of this story. But the fact that she fell into the Labyrinth is a very MAJOR turning point as I mentioned with my last post. To my anonymous flamer, I hope you stick around. I really do write these because I like to make people happy. But please keep in mind this fanfic is not about Jareth and Sarah. It is about Sarah and the breakdown of magic in the Underground as the description states.

AwkwardIdeasLeadToThis, I can promise you Sarah and Jareth's romantic relationship is in no jeopardy. They're my OTP ;D

As always, I LOVE YOU ALL!

No joke. This is my favorite story to write and I love seeing how excited, or even disappointed, you are in my chapters.

Stick with me. We haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet ;)

Kaas


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter six;**_

Everything he had known about his magic was a lie.

Jareth could feel his world shrinking down around him, the claustrophobic feeling seemed to wrap its icy grip around his neck and squeeze. He was sure if all eyes in the hall had not been on him in that very moment he would have collapsed under its weight. But he was a King, and Kings were expected to act with a certain poise and grace when presented with calamity. _Breathe._ He reminded himself. _Remember who you are._

The small girl seemed to hold herself high, but she had many tells that gave away the fear and the uncertainty that rattled through her. She shifted, quite obnoxiously, from foot to foot and every couple of moments would brush a shaking hand through her hair. As terrified as Jareth was of her presence, it was obvious that this Shari-Lynn was even more afraid of them.

"You fell, you say?" The Tribune asked, his voice rattling from old age. The Tribune was, by far, the eldest Faye in the Underground. He had lived through Jareth's father's father's father's reign and immortality was but a fantasy when presented to a Faye. Surely they lived for hundreds of thousands of years, but expiration was expiration and they all would pass eventually. Magic was not infallible, or so he was learning.

"Yes." She breathed, her once strong and assertive voice wavering under the eyes of the Tribune. "There was a cave in."

"A cave in," he repeated, closing his eyes and nodding his head as if he could see the moment clearly. He lifted one gnarled hand, his index finger bending slightly as he motioned for the girl to approach his seat. "Come, young one. I wish to look upon you."

Shari-Lynn straightened up, her eyes scanning the room until they landed upon the one familiar face. The carefree look and the warm smile had completely stripped from Toby's face and she noticed now that he stood with the other Faye guards he seemed to regard her with distaste and distrust. Part of her knew this should be expected; they didn't know if they could trust her after all. Her legs trembled as she crossed the distance between herself and the Tribune, silently praying they could not see the way her fear manifested itself. Forward she moved until the Tribune was so close she could smell the ancient smell of a life well lived.

The Tribune smelled of old books, warm water and sunlight. His eyes were a deep ocean blue and his lips seemed to suck into his mouth as he appraised her. She was instantly reminded of her grandfather, wise and carefree as he smoked cigars on the back patio of their two story home. The Tribune seemed to drip knowledge and it was immediately evident why he had been chosen for the task at hand. His hand shook as he lifted it, reaching up slowly until the tip of his right index finger gently pressed into her forehead. Shari-Lynn's gaze went cross-eyed as she tried to assess what he was doing to her face.

"Magic," he whispered, the word seeming to melt as it flooded into her ears. "She is permeated in it."

"How?" Jareth asked, moving forward until he stood directly behind the elder. "How do the humans have magic?"

The pressure from the Tribune's finger increased as he pressed slightly harder upon the forehead of the intruder. "This is an ancient birthright, children born from the ashes of the Great one."

There was a sharp intake of breath as Jareth came to understand the meaning of the Tribune's words. "How?" He repeated.

"Food," a small smile seemed to filter across the face of the elder as if the answer was obvious. "A choice was made, was it not, to leave behind the ashes of the Great One in memorial?" Jareth only nodded. "And these ashes became one with the earth. That is, until a family harvested the earth for… corn was it?"

Shari-Lynn only blinked, unable to follow what the Tribune meant by the Great One and ashes and corn. It all seemed like the lunatic ramblings of an old man. Much like the stories her grandfather had once told her as he lay upon his deathbed.

"So her lineage set a farm upon our holy land and magic was spread through the consumption of food?" Jareth asked, his voice incredulous.

"And the reproduction of her line," the Tribune confirmed. "Small amounts, of course, barely noticeable until one of strong faith emerged." His finger pressed even harder upon her forehead.

"Is she dangerous?"

The Tribune's cold eyes swiveled up to meet the gaze of his King, his lips still pursed in thought. "Not anymore. While her body will always reflect the magic she showed today, it is already beginning to recede. Can't you feel it?" Jareth merely nodded. "We must send her back immediately."

Her forehead erupted in white light, a burning sensation spreading through her as Shari-Lynn fell back and everything went dark.

xxX The Goblin King Xxx

Jareth watched as the body of the small girl tumbled backwards, slumping into a messy ball on the ground at the Tribune's feet. He knew from experience that every memory had been erased from her mind and that in a few hours she would wake up in her bed without any memories from her adventures in the Underground. The Tribune held special powers of his own, not unlike the Author, and his protection magic had kept the Underground hidden from humans for eons.

The Goblin King motioned for Toby to approach, waiting until he stood just before the unconscious girl to speak. "I need you to take her back to her home. Return her to her life and make sure you leave behind nothing. We cannot give her memory any reason to relapse and remember this day."

Toby merely nodded. Gingerly he bent, scooping up the body of the small woman and adjusting her into his arms as his wings unfurled.

"And Toby?" The boy looked back upon his King but said nothing. "Do not dwell in the Aboveground for long."

Toby only nodded again, retreating to the balcony where he would take flight into the setting sun.

Once the stranger and the young Faye were out of sight, Jareth's shoulders seemed to slump. All of the stress and the nerves and his fear seemed to melt away into a strange sense of calm. He had just summoned Sarah to join them when the Tribune reached out and placed a gentle hand upon the King's shoulder.

"I think you have misunderstood, my liege. While the girl may not be dangerous any longer, the damage she has inflicted upon our world is not yet at its end. The events she has set on course have already begun. The rupture cannot be sealed." The Tribune rose unsteadily, seeming to waver on his feet as he did. "The path we are on has been predetermined."

"What do we do now?" Jareth asked.

The Tribune turned sad eyes upon the onlookers, glancing from Faye to Faye as they moved, finally landing upon the ornate wooden door as the Author stepped into their presence.

"We pray."

xxX Later that Night Xxx

Gently she combed deft fingers through his long silver hair, stopping every so often to massage his temples or rub her thumbs across his delicately molded eyebrows. Gazing down upon her King, Sarah could see how the last few days had aged him. He looked older somehow, harrowed by the terrifying events that had come and would come to pass. The Tribune had made it clear that the portal Shari-Lynn had created when she tumbled down into the Underground would continue to grow until the entire veil that separated them from the Aboveground disappeared altogether. There was nothing that could be done to stop it, not without transcendence.

A soft moan slipped over his lips as she rubbed the palm of her hand against his forehead. He reached up slowly, capturing her hand in his own. Gently he tugged her hand forward until he could place a gentle kiss upon the inside of her wrist.

The Author almost physically melted. The last twenty-four hours had been harrowing, and even with the Goblin King now lying in her lap, she hadn't been sure his affections still existed. This, after all, was all her fault. Her selfish nosiness had caused the fracture that had allowed this magical corn girl to not only create a portal, but foolishly fall through. She would not have blamed Jareth if he had called off their marriage and had expelled her to the tower of the Author where she would live out her life in exile. The small pressure of slow but loving kisses upon her wrist left her reeling. Farnig had told her his love was strong, the fact that she had ever doubted it for a moment was almost sacrilegious.

"Corn?" She asked. Jareth had explained everything to her after the Tribune and the others had left them in peace. How the ashes of the Great One had been used to fertilize a field filled with corn and how the corn had imbued the humans who ate it with trace amounts of magic power. How stupid he had been to leave the ashes of one so powerful behind.

A small smile broke across his lips as he continued his gentle kisses. "Corn," He reaffirmed. "How country."

"Can I ask a question?" She asked, continuing to rub at the base of his neck soothingly with the hand he had not laid claim to.

"Hnn."

"Your father is the Great One… isn't he?"

Jareth was silent for a long moment, rubbing his thumb in circles on the back of her hand as he stared into it. For the longest while she didn't think he would answer her quarry, but after eons had seemingly passed, the Goblin King removed himself from his place resting in her lap and sat up straight before her. "He was."

"How-"

But Jareth held up a hand to silence her. "How did his ashes end up in the Aboveground?"

Sarah merely nodded.

"It's a long story… and none of it is happy. Are you sure you want to hear it?" He asked, the look in his eyes half hoping she would and half hoping she would give up on the subject completely.

Again, Sarah only nodded.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Jareth ran his fingers through his hair to brush it out of his eyes and began.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

Firstly, I would like to apologize for my eight month absence. I know this chapter is a bit shorter than you have been used to and probably a bit underwhelming but I wanted to get SOMETHING out as soon as I could. The next chapter is going to be significantly different and will focus mostly around the Great One, AKA Jareth's Papa.

Life has gotten in the way and I cant promise how often I am going to be able to update this story but I know where it is going and how it will end and I am going to try to make an effort to get chapters out at least once a month.

Again, that isn't a promise, but I will try. For those of you who are still with me, all my love!

Kaas


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